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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
"Affordable" for students means: can rent fit a part-time paycheck? Are groceries reasonable? We analyzed 2 cities in Wisconsin, weighting rent and food highest. Milwaukee takes the top spot.
#1 Ranked: Milwaukee — cost index 92, rent $1,398/mo, income $51,888
Student-budget scoring: rent $1,398/mo, food index 90, cost index 92 — survival-level affordability
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
"Affordable" for students means: can rent fit a part-time paycheck? Are groceries reasonable? We analyzed 2 cities in Wisconsin, weighting rent and food highest. Milwaukee takes the top spot.
Student affordability boils down to three survival metrics: rent under $1,200/month (25pts), overall cost index (20pts), and food costs (10pts). Milwaukee leads at $1,398/month rent with a food index of 90 — 10% below the national food cost baseline. Madison is close behind at $1,649/month.
Why Milwaukee ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. At 92 on the cost index, residents save roughly 20% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,398/month while the median household pulls in $51,888/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 81, though Healthcare (95) lags behind. Home prices average $216,278 — $251,092 below the national median.
Bottom line: Milwaukee leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. That's more or less in line with the region. Click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers.
561,385 residents · Wisconsin
The #1 spot goes to Milwaukee, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,398/month — saving renters $5,964 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 81, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 95. The 32% rent-to-income ratio is a pressure point — for median earners, housing takes more than recommended (more on that below).
280,305 residents · Wisconsin
What does daily life actually cost in Madison? Start with the 26% rent-to-income ratio — tight but manageable for most households. On the category level, Utilities (index 97) is where the real savings show up, while Housing (index 113) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $76,983 and homes at $415,530 round out a profile that ranks #2 for clear reasons.
Milwaukee ranks #1 in Wisconsin for this analysis with a cost index of 92 and median income of $51,888.
Milwaukee scores highest for students due to its below-average cost of living, median rent of $1,398/mo, and competitive median income of $51,888.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
Milwaukee (ranked #1) has a cost index of 92 and rent of $1,398/mo, while Madison (ranked #2) has a cost index of 105 and rent of $1,649/mo — a 13-point difference in cost of living.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Milwaukee is $1,398/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $497 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Milwaukee is $216,278, which is 4.2× the local median income. It's on the edge of affordability for median-income households. The national median home price is $467,370.
Wisconsin has a 7.65% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 5.44%, and the effective property tax rate is 1.51%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.